Wednesday, October 28, 2009

FIRESIDE IN OREM


I was invited to give a talk in Orem at a Stake High Priest Quorum gathering. This is a yearly meeting where business is carried out, and a speaker is invited.

I talked about Nathan Smith, founder of Dartmouth and Yale Medical Schools and his involvement with Joesph Smith's orthopedic surgery as a child of seven.
Here is the Samuel B. Morse's painting of Nathan Smith that is found at Yale University Medical School.

We drove down to Orem and set up the projection and computer equipment and the members started to file in. They brought their wives and in addition Emily and Mike and some of their kids showed up as well. There must have been 600 file in as the chapel and half the recreation hall filled. I was impressed.

They were a great group with a great spirit. I gave my power point presentation on the details of Joseph's surgery and the unusual fact that the only surgeon performing direct operations on bone in 1813 was none other than Nathan Smith. I could find no other mention of this operation anywhere in the English or German medical literature. It is a great story and the very first one we have about Joseph Smith in his youth. I took Emily's boy, Joseph, who is seven years old as my object lesson.. the same age as Joseph when he was operated in 1813
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We give this about once or twice a month to various groups in Salt Lake. There are a lot of active Gospel study groups around the city and we get invited. We so enjoy doing this.
Alles Gute, Opa

4 comments:

Becca said...

That is great, Dad! I loved listening when I went and would love to hear it again. Maybe you can come give a fireside in Highland sometime.

Cathy said...

I'm sure everyone enjoyed the fireside. People in our ward still talk about it. :-)

Emily said...

Dad--you did a great job. Joseph loved helping you out. Caroline and Jacob really enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Mary said...

You really should write a book. Your presentation is always great.